Adjustable gage for supporting clapboards



(No Model.)

H. BRAND. ADJUSTABLE GAGE FOR SUPPORTING GLAPBOARDS. No. 332,323. Patented Dec., l5. 1885.

UNITE STATES arnrir FFICEO HENRY BRAND, OF SHEBOYGAN, lVISOONSINf ADJUSTABLE GAGE FOR SUPPORTING CLAPBOARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,323, dated December 15, 1885.

Serial No.175106. (No model) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BRAND, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of \Nisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Gages for Supporting Clapboards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for adjusting and holding clapboards at their proper distances apart while being nailed, and the same is explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, which represents a perspective view thereof in position for use upon the side of a building.

My device consists of a metallic plate, A, which is adapted to rest upon the flat front surface of the clapboard B, and the same is provided with a forward and upward projecting bracket, 0, which is adapted to engage beneath the lower edge and against the front surface of the next succeeding clapboard, D, and serves to support said clapboard D and retain it in a vertical position against the side of a building preparatory to being nailed.

My device is adjusted to clapboards of different widths by the movable bracket E, which engages beneath the lower edge of the clapboard B, which bracket is retained in contact with the rear surface of the plate A by the bolt or rivet F and washer G, which bolt F has an upward and downward movement within the slot H of the plate A. The bracket E is adjusted upward and downward along the rear surface of said plate A by the hand-screw l, which has a screw threaded bearing through the lug J, formed on the lower end of said plate A. The upper end of the screw I bears simply against the lower surface of the bracket E, said bracket being turned upward by turning said handscrew I forward against it; but when said bracket is adjusted downward said hand-screw is turned outward away from said bracket E, when said bracket E is pressed downward against the said hand-screw, where it is thus retained by its own gravity and the friction of the parts in contact.

When the bracket E has been properly adjusted to correspond to the width of the clapboards, and placed against the clapboard B in the position shown, the device is secured in such position by the upward and rearward projecting end of the lever K, which upper end is sharply pointed and protrudes rearwardly through the slot L, formed in the upper end of the plate A, and into the front surface of said clapboard B, thus holding said device firmly in place while the operator is free to nail the board D thus supported. The upper end of the lever K is thus forced rearward by a rearward pressure upon the free end of the angular lever M, which is pivoted to the lower end of the lever K by pivot N, and bears at its angular bend against the plate A, which plate serves as its fulcrum. Thus when the lever M is in the position shown the point of the lever K extends through, or partially through, the slot L only; but when desired to secure my device to the board 13 said point is forced into the surface of the board by pressing downwardly and rearwardly upon the free end of the lever M, whereby the lower end of the lever K is forced outwardly, and its upper end is forced rearwardly, through said slot L into the front surface of the board 13, and is thus retained while the board D is nailed; when, by drawing said lever M outwardly and upwardly into position shown, the point of said lever K is withdrawn from the board 13 by the action of the spring, when said device may be removed. The lever K is secured to the plate A between the arms of the bracket 0 by pivot P, upon which pivot it turns as it is inserted and withdrawn from the board. To facilitate in withdrawing the point of the lever K from the board, the spring R is employed, which spring has its respective ends connected with the lower end of the lever K by a pivot, N, around which said lower ends of said spring are wound. The central portion of said spring R is wound around the respective ends of the pivot B upon the respective sides of the lever K, while the upper end of said spring R bears against the front surface of the upper end of the plate A. Thus it is obvious that said spring is compressed as the upper end of the lever K is forced rearward, while it recoils and presses the lower end of said lever K rearward as said lever M is brought into the position shown.

It is obvious that by connecting the two levers M and K together in the manner shown a compound lever is formed, whereby I accomplish three objects, which could not be accomplished by the single lever K alone: First, I am enabled to force the retaining-point P rearward into the board by a rearward pressure, instead of pulling outward, which rearward pressure tends to hold the device in place against the board, while drawing outwardly upon the lever M would have a tendency to withdraw the device from the board; second, by compounding the levers the pressure on the retaining-point is increased; and, third, as the lever M is pressed .rearward that part above its angular bend is brought to a horizontal position between the plate A and the lower end of the lever K, and serves to hold the lever K in a fixed position with its point embedded in the wood.

I am aware that clapboardgages have pre Viously been made having a single lever only, and I make no claim to such form of device as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The adjustable gage for supporting clapboards, herein described, consisting in the combination of the plate A, provided with an adjustable bracket, E, supporting-bracket G, and rearward-projecting pointed lever K, secured to said plate A upon a pivotal support, and angular lever M, pivoted to the long arm of said lever K, and interposed between and bearing against said plate A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an adjustable gage for supporting clapboards, the combination, of the plate A, provided with lug J, hand-screw I, having a screw-bearing in said lug J, adjustable bracket E, provided with bolt F, operating in slot H of said plate, and adjusted by the action of said screw I outward and upward, projecting bracket 0, bracket 0, lever K, secured to said bracket by pivot P, angular lever M, secured to said lever K by pivot N, and spring R, as connected with said lever K by pivots N and P, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY BRAND. 

